African American Players

[Stonecutter]

Imagine seeing a NRL player run into Ray Lewis.... he would be in an Ambo before he knew what hit him.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

African Americans would be well suited to playing RL as long as they have a grounding in the game. Greg Smith would have been a handy player if he'd spent a few years in the lower grades where he could have learned the game. Sticking him straight into first grade would be like putting Michael Jordan or Maurice Green into the NRL, great athletes in their own field but not up to the technical demands of a foreign game, especially in defence. If an NRL club had the foresight and patience to sign a gifted athlete of any background they could probably turn him into a handy footballer, but most NRL clubs can't even be bothered recruiting talented league players from outside Australia/NZ so that's hardly likely to happen.

 

[ShineDog]

They would tear our outsides backs to shreads..imagine a fast /well built African American who can break the 10 second barrier over 100m running at bowen....

 

[kooriguy]

we have a african kid at the juvenile justice centre where i work.. when they play touch footy if he is put through a hole no-one will catch him, although he is no where near as skilled as the other boys, very much catch and run.. but that is a generalisation.. and there will be more then a few kooris break 10sec in 100m sprints one or two already have.

 

[bobmar28]

Would they be known as African American Australians or just African Australians?

If they are from Africa (as most of our black immigrants are) I don't see how they could be known as African American Australians. Anyway I would love to see NFL players have a go at league.

 

[ShadesOfTheSun]

There's no particular reason why we should specify African-Americans - the physiological peculiarities that contribute to African Americans dominating speed events at the Olympics are hardly specific to Africans in the United States.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

My girlfriend is african. If we have a son I shall encourage him to play league.

 

[Wilco]

Let's ask Bush or Tomlinson to come out and play then. They won't cost too much.

 

[Mr Saab]

Let's ask Bush or Tomlinson to come out and play then. They won't cost too much.

Only the 90million telstra deal ;-)

 

[cainen]

I can imagine the good ones being Wendell Sailor type players.

 

[Geohood]

Martin Offiah? Was he African? Oh my god:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=martin+offiah

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Exactly...aren't there already plenty of players of African/Caribbean extraction already playing in the UK!? Black people don't gain superhuman powers because they come from America. Embarrassing oversight in this thread tbh.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

If they are from Africa (as most of our black immigrants are) I don't see how they could be known as African American Australians. Anyway I would love to see NFL players have a go at league.

You should watch the US coverage of the Olympics. You're guaranteed that a black non-US athlete will be called african-american on more than one occasion.

 

[Mr Angry]

There is a guy who is playing for the Aspley Broncos, an African boy who moved here as a young lad.

Mzebe?sp he goes well.

 

[Titanic]

There are lots of african or "african via somewhere else" players playing all over but League doesn't seem to be their focus. The UK has plenty but like cricket there is no extraordinary domination by black players. There are comps in the USA - how many african-americans are playing in those? Not many considering I can't recall any in the Tomahawks teams. I reckon when the Pakis, India or Sri Lanka select a white player then racism will finally have turned the full circle.

 

[Mal Meninga]

I can imagine the good ones being Wendell Sailor type players.

Sailor's are a dime in a dozen over in America. Alot of African American's who play football also play basketball so most skill positions have great footwork and know how to use their body.

Some people seriously under-rate the NFL but the athletes they posess are world class(apart from the lineman but some of those blokes are very agile and quick for their size especially defensive ends like Julius Peppers).

Look up Reggie Bush, Terrell Owens, Ladanian Tomlinson, Brian Urlacher, Ray Lewis etc on youtube and tell me they couldn't play in the NRL. You've got blokes like George Rose in first grade FFS.

 

[AusKnightRKO]

Yo Mal.... Could You Imagine Troy Polamalu Or Bob Sanders Or Eugene Wilon In League.... id feel sry for the other teams

 

[pennywisealfie]

Gideon Mizembe, from zimbabwe i do believe, been in the broncos system for 3 seasons now i think and he improves every year.

 

[Mr Saab]

Yo Mal.... Could You Imagine Troy Polamalu Or Bob Sanders Or Eugene Wilon In League.... id feel sry for the other teams

Imagine if Barry Sanders played in the NRL.
He would make Bowen or Wesser look pedestrian

 

[Mr Angry]

Gideon Mizembe, from zimbabwe i do believe, been in the broncos system for 3 seasons now i think and he improves every year.

That is the one, saw him last week, played well.